The present invention relates to upper/insole assemblies for use in constructing articles of footwear that integrate stitchdown construction methods with athletic bottom components and methods for producing such articles of footwear and upper/insole assemblies.
Articles of footwear have been designed and worn by humans since very early in recorded history. Articles of footwear were initially designed to protect the tender bottom portion of the feet of wearers while walking or running over rough surfaces. Although the primary purpose of footwear remains basically unchanged, the various types of activity and surfaces in which humans run, walk, or stand on have led to an ever increasing diversity in the style and construction of footwear. Footwear construction and design have also focused on providing better ankle and arch support while retaining flexibility. Fashion and personal taste have also played significant roles leading to the increase in types of footwear.
Humans engage in a wide variety of physical activities. Some of these activities include walking, running, jogging, sprinting and other track and field events, backpacking, playing tennis, cross-training, golfing, playing soccer, and scuba diving. Footwear has been specifically designed for use in each of these activities. Methods for constructing footwear have been developed to provide the best characteristics necessary for the particular end use. Thus, methods for constructing boots, athletic shoes, waders, moccasins, slippers, dress shoes, and sandals have all developed.
While many different types of footwear have been designed for specific uses, there is still a need for articles of footwear that will adequately serve the needs of a wearer under varying conditions. For example, many boots are specifically made for activities associated with hiking or backpacking. While such articles of footwear are excellent for this type of activity, an owner of such a boot would probably not want to wear it while playing tennis or engaging in track and field activities due to the weight and decreased flexibility of such an article of footwear. A need still remains for articles of footwear that have improved characteristics which enable them to be better used over a variety of different activities.
One challenge associated with the design of footwear for use in various activities such as in cross-training is providing the necessary arch support while maintaining acceptable weight parameters. Thus, a need remains for an article of footwear for use in cross-training activities that has a reduced weight compared to conventional articles of such footwear yet which also provides adequate arch support. A need for a method for constructing such a reduced weight article of footwear also exists.
The present invention provides upper/insole assemblies, articles of footwear containing the upper/insole assemblies, and methods for manufacturing the upper/insole assemblies and articles of footwear.
An upper/insole assembly for use in constructing an article of footwear includes an upper and an insole. The upper includes an inner surface; an outer surface; a lateral peripheral flange; and a medial peripheral flange. The insole includes a top surface; a bottom surface; a lateral peripheral edge; a medial peripheral edge; an arch portion; a phalangeal portion; and a heel portion. At least a portion of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper of the upper/insole assembly are stitched to the insole in the phalangeal and heel portions, but the lateral and medial peripheral flanges are not stitched to the insole through the arch portion. The lateral peripheral flange of the upper is wrapped around the lateral peripheral edge of the insole in the arch portion and the medial peripheral flange of the upper is wrapped around the medial peripheral edge of the insole in the arch portion. Additionally, the lateral and medial peripheral flanges are secured to the bottom surface of the arch portion of the insole.
An article of footwear according to the present invention includes an upper/insole assembly as described in the preceding paragraph and a bottom component that includes an outsole component and a midsole component. At least a portion of the midsole component is fixed to the upper/insole assembly. In more preferred articles of footwear, the bottom component further includes at least one shank that provides support to the arch portion of the upper/insole assembly and article of footwear.
In still other preferred articles of footwear, the bottom component further includes a heel portion and substantially all the heel portion of the bottom component is stitched to the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper through the heel portion of the insole component. In still other preferred articles of footwear, the bottom component also includes a phalangeal portion and substantially all the phalangeal portion of the bottom component is stitched to the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper through the phalangeal portion of the insole component. In still other preferred articles of footwear according to the present invention, the bottom component includes a heel portion and a phalangeal portion and both portions are stitched to the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper through the corresponding heel and phalangeal portions of the insole component.
In some preferred upper/insole assemblies for use in constructing an article of footwear, at least a portion of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges are wrapped around the lateral and medial peripheral edges of the phalangeal portion of the insole and are secured to the bottom surface of the phalangeal portion of the insole. Articles of footwear constructed using such preferred upper/insole assemblies include a bottom component having a midsole component, an outsole component, a heel portion, and a phalangeal portion and substantially all the heel portion of the bottom component is stitched to the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper through the heel portion of the insole component. Additionally, the phalangeal portion of the bottom component is fixed to the phalangeal portion of the insole.
In still other preferred upper/insole assemblies, at least a portion of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges are wrapped around the lateral and medial peripheral edges of the heel portion of the insole and secured to the bottom surface of the heel portion of the insole. Articles of footwear constructed using such an upper/insole assembly include a bottom component having a midsole component, an outsole component, a heel portion and a phalangeal portion. In such articles of footwear, substantially all the phalangeal portion of the bottom component is stitched to the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper through the phalangeal portion of the insole component and the heel portion of the bottom component is fixed to the heel portion of the insole.
In yet other preferred upper/insole assemblies, at least a portion of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges are wrapped around the lateral and medial peripheral edges of the heel and phalangeal portion of the insole and secured to the bottom surface of both the heel and the phalangeal portions of the insole. Articles of footwear constructed from such an upper/insole assembly include a bottom component having a midsole component, an outsole component, a heel portion and a phalangeal portion. In such articles of footwear, the phalangeal portion of the bottom component is fixed to the phalangeal portion of the bottom surface of the insole and the heel portion of the bottom component is fixed to the heel portion of the bottom surface of the insole. Additionally, the outer surface of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper contacts the top surface of the bottom component.
In yet other preferred upper/insole assemblies, the upper also includes a peripheral toe flange and a peripheral heel flange and the lateral peripheral flange, the medial peripheral flange, the peripheral toe flange and the peripheral heel flange together provide a flange substantially surrounding the perimeter of the upper. In more preferred upper/insole assemblies of this type, the peripheral flanges are wrapped around the lateral and peripheral edges of the insole and the inner surface of each of the peripheral flanges of the upper is secured to the bottom surface of the insole. Articles of footwear constructed using such upper/insole assemblies include a bottom component having a midsole component and an outsole component, and the bottom component is fixed to the bottom surface of the insole. Additionally, the bottom component contacts the outer surface of the peripheral flanges in such articles of footwear. and the inner surface of each of the peripheral flanges of the upper is secured to the bottom surface of the insole. Articles of footwear constructed using such upper/insole assemblies include a bottom component having a midsole component and an outsole component, and the bottom component is fixed to the bottom surface of the insole. Additionally, the bottom component contacts the outer surface of the peripheral flanges in such articles of footwear.
A method for manufacturing an upper/insole assembly for use in constructing an article of footwear, includes: stretching an upper over a last such that a lateral peripheral flange and a medial peripheral flange of the upper extend past the edges of a lateral peripheral edge and a medial peripheral edge of an insole; adhesively securing an inner surface of the lateral peripheral flange to a bottom surface of an arch portion of the insole; adhesively securing an inner surface of the medial peripheral flange to the bottom surface of the arch portion of the insole; stitching the upper to a heel portion of the insole and a phalangeal portion of the insole, but not to the arch portion of the insole.
A preferred method for manufacturing an article of footwear includes the procedure set forth in the preceding paragraph. In this method for manufacturing an article of footwear, the step of stitching the upper to the heel portion of the insole further includes stitching the upper to a heel portion of a bottom component having a midsole component and an outsole component, and the step of stitching the upper to the phalangeal portion of the insole further includes stitching the upper to a phalangeal portion of the bottom component.
Another preferred method for manufacturing an upper/insole assembly for use in constructing an article of footwear further includes adhesively securing a portion of the inner surface of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper to the bottom surface of the heel portion of the insole. Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear include following this procedure for manufacturing an upper/insole assembly and also include adhesively securing a heel portion of a bottom component having a phalangeal portion, an outsole component, and a midsole component to the bottom surface of the heel portion of the insole. Additionally, in this method for manufacturing an article of footwear, the step of stitching the upper to the phalangeal portion of the insole further comprises stitching the phalangeal portion of the bottom component to the upper.
Still another preferred method for manufacturing an upper/insole assembly for use in constructing an article of footwear further includes adhesively securing a portion of the inner surface of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper to the bottom surface of the phalangeal portion of the insole. Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear include following this method for constructing an upper/insole assembly and adhesively securing a phalangeal portion of a bottom component having an outsole component, a midsole component, and a heel portion to the bottom surface of the phalangeal portion of the insole. Additionally, the step of stitching the upper to the heel portion of the insole further comprises stitching the heel portion of the bottom component to the upper.
Yet another method for manufacturing an upper/insole assembly includes adhesively securing a portion of the inner surface of the lateral and medial peripheral flanges of the upper to the bottom surface of the heel and phalangeal portions of the insole. Methods for manufacturing an article of footwear include following this method for manufacturing an upper/insole assembly and adhesively securing a bottom component having an outsole component to the phalangeal and heel portions of the bottom surface of the insole.
In all preferred methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, the bottom component further includes at least one shank with peripheral flanges, and the method further includes adhesively securing the peripheral flanges of the shank to an arch portion of the upper.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings.